River X 12 - Before The Sun Rises
by GingerIsTheCat
Summary: I wrote this on a whim, as with most of my writing. I'm not sure if I'll write any more. I probably will, but I'll have to figure out a plot. Basically it's just more of their banter, which I LOVE, in a romantic setting. It's snowing on Darillium because it's just a weird planet where it can be a desert one day and a arctic wasteland the next. Note: I'm currently revising.
1. Chapter 1

Note: I'm aware that this could be better, and I'm revising it. Once I'm happy with it, I will republish it as "Before The Sun Rises", which I think sounds better.

River tromped through the snow with her fur lined hood concealing her face from the swirling snow. She had been walking through the whole mess for an hour, dragging a freshly killed reindeer behind her. Finally she reached home. " _Michelle, ma belle…."_ The Beatles' "Michelle" was playing softly over the Tardis speaker when River stepped into the Tardis. The lights were dimmed as she waltzed in and sashayed over to the Doctor, who was hurriedly setting the table with all manner of concoctions. " _Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble"_

"Hello sweetie. She said with her familiar smile. " My, how romantic. What's the occasion?" She asked looking the whole grand array over.

"I thought we might have a nice dinner before we set off "

 _Tres bien ensemble…._

"Where to this time?" River asked briskly dancing around the table.

"I thought we might go to Barbados" he said lighting the candles.

"Oh yes, but not the planet?" River said picking up a rose.

"Oh course not, do you think they'd even let us back there after last time?"

"It was beckoning to me."

"It did nothing but sparkle"

"That is basically what I meant"

"You and your glitz"

"It comes in handy"

"How?"

"Well, It could be used to refract light in a pinch"

"And why would you want to do that?"

"Didn't you sunburn like a tomato last time we went there?" She said changing the subject.

"Yes" the Doctor answered painfully.

"And I got a golden tan." River said remembering her trip fondly.

"Lucky you. Where else do you suggest we go"

"Well, if you don't mind business"

"What kind of business?"

"The legal kind, sweetie."

"Good." The Doctor replied with faked relief.

"It's a fascinating ancient relic, and I promise you it won't belong to anyone by the time we get to it."

"It isn't cursed, is it"

"I don't think so" She replied thoughtfully.

"Too bad. That's my favorite kind. "

"I didn't know you took such an interest in my work"

"Are you kidding? After chasing monsters around all day, your objects are a welcome diversion"

"It's not always safe."

"Of course not, you're there."

"Haven't you ever seen the movies?"

"Haven't they always been fake?"

"Not always. They can be surprisingly accurate if you go to the right planet"

Right, we'll retrieve your bobble, and then - Barbados" he said with a grand gesture.

"It's not a bobble" River said distractedly looking at the Tardis monitor.

"Is it still snowing" he asked.

"No, not anymore"

"You know, it's funny" the Doctor said with an air of wit while raising his eyebrows in that strange adorable way that River loved while approaching her, "We're spending our sunset years waiting for the sun to rise"

"You mean my sunset years" said River sadly, her bemused smile suddenly fading as she walked over to the controls."

"River, you don't know that." "Why we don't even know if I have any regenerations left. I could be killed in a vengeful reindeer attack tomorrow, for all you know."

River gave in to a small smile. "Don't worry sweetie, I would protect you."

"Anyway, River, your sunset years are when you only have a few decades left, the way we've rigged the game, you'll be a tri-millennial before you even retire."

"Well that sounds appealing" River said sarcastically.

They had figured out some time ago that they didn't have to spend 24 years on the planet all at once; they could spread it out significantly by traveling all year long and spending only one day of their relative year out of their total 8760 allotted days on the planet. So they traveled like an old married couple in their caravan seeing the sights and getting into the occasional scrap, returning like a pair of lovebirds every year for Christmas. They had 8760 Christmases to spend together. But boy was that a long time to be married. Didn't old couples get cranky and homicidal? Or was that just a horror film he'd seen. He and River watched a lot of old films. Last night they'd watched Double Indemnity, and now the Doctor was a little jumpy every time River glared at him. The Doctor wondered if would ever tire of River's laugh, or the way she teased him, or their endless banter. He looked over at her with her as she bounded around, with her wild hair bouncing and her sweet blue-green eyes shining as she stroked her hand over the Tardis console fondly, and he didn't think so.


	2. Chapter 2

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"You said it was business. Why is he here." the Doctor demanded.

"He's my assistant" River said matter-of-factly.

"Do all your assistants have to be young and pretty?"

"You tell me." She said with a quick tilt of her head looking him straight in the eyes with a small knowing smile.

The Doctor grew embarrassed at this and dropped the subject. He couldn't argue in the light of hypocrisy. He tried to redirect the subject. "Does he have a name?"

"Of course he has a name" River said teasingly. "But I don't often use it."

"Well, are you going to tell me his name, or will I have to guess?" The Doctor asked sounding exasperated with an almost amused look in his eyes.

"That sounds about right." River said looking up at him sweetly before walking off with her nose in a guide book. How did she do that? Acting so heartless and still somehow making you feel like she was doing you a world of good. He started to follow her like a helpless puppy.

"Lovie, are you coming?"

Lovie? River never called him Lovi - oh, it was him. That pretty boy. The Doctor grumbled off to hang around the Tardis as River led her young assistant through the dense jungle vines.

"Aren't you coming sweetie?" She called back.

He grumbled some more. This time he knew she meant him. He thought about ignoring her - but no, he couldn't do that to River. Lovely River. Not her. He swallowed his pride and called back "Yes dear, just as soon as I unload your baggage. You sure did bring a lot of it". Silence. This couldn't be good. Why was he so snarky?

River emerged from the vines. She walked over towards him with her hair flying wildly and her eyes aflame, and for a moment the Doctor was uncertain just what she was going to do to him.

And then she kissed him; on the cheek.

"I'm sorry sweetie, but your baggage was taking up so much room on the Tardis that I thought I'd kick it off and bring some of my own... He's a native guide, not an assistant."

The Doctor groaned. "River, why are you so difficult? "

"Because I love you. If I made it easy you might forget that. By the way, you're my only assistant now, so come on." She said this as she flung some real baggage into his arms, picking up her own share along the way, and trudged off into the jungle. Yes, sometimes the Doctor felt like a puppy dog following her, but it wasn't all bad, sometimes she threw him a treat - literally. She happened to know how to bake one- and only one- dessert; chocolate chip cookies. And they were out of this world.

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They had been working their way through the thick jungle vines for some time now, and the Doctor had taken the lead, enjoying the challenge of swinging and ducking and dodging. Perhaps he could get used to this. Suddenly he saw something through the vines that made him stop with excitement.

"River! River!" he shouted whilst running back. "I've found it!"

"Look at that stupid grin. Do you even know what we're looking for?" River asked in amusement.

"Of course I do" he said grinning like a happy child "And this must be it. Come see." he said gesturing her along.

" Oh all right" she said giving into his prodding and then gradually getting ahead of him. Suddenly she stopped in her tracks while the Doctor looked on at what he had spotted very pleased with himself.

"I don't believe it." she said breathlessly

"Tell me about it" the Doctor said, still grinning. He was enjoying playing the companion for once.

She turned around swiftly to face him "Don't you know what this is?"

"Well, it looks like a great big shiny emerald statue. Isn't that what we were looking for?"

"No, this is something far greater, and much more dangerous"

"You said we wouldn't be in danger" the Doctor said teasingly.

"Complaining?"

"No, not at all."


End file.
